VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 19, 2025

Head-to-head

AmiBroker vs ETF Action comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

AmiBroker adds Quant, Monte Carlo, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Correlation, APIs & SDKs, and Auto-Trading & Bots coverage that ETF Action skips.

ETF Action includes ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Valuation, ETF Factors, ETF Overlap, Portfolio, Watchlist, 13F, Data APIs, Alerts, Blogs, and Videos categories that AmiBroker omits.

AmiBroker highlights: Portfolio‑level backtesting with dynamic position sizing and bar‑by‑bar ranking/PositionScore., Walk‑forward testing integrated with optimization; in/out‑of‑sample stats., and Monte Carlo simulation (custom metrics can drive optimization/WF objective)..

ETF Action is known for: Global ETF ‘Channels’ taxonomy with category reports and dashboards (Size & Style US/Global, Region & Country, Sector & Industry, Thematic, Fixed Income, Non‑Traditional, Commodities, Crypto)., Look‑through analytics on fund holdings for factor/style, sector/industry, country, concentration; portfolio overlap analysis across funds or entire models., and Flows & trading dashboards (volumes/ADV); flows noted as T+1 timing in daily updates..

ETF Action keeps a free entry point that AmiBroker lacks.

AmiBroker logo

AmiBroker

amibroker.com

Windows desktop platform for technical/system research with a fast AFL scripting language, portfolio‑level backtester, walk‑forward testing, Monte Carlo, and extensive optimization. Real‑time capability and instrument coverage depend on the data plug‑ins you use (e.g., IQFeed, eSignal, Interactive Brokers, Norgate Data). Auto‑trading to IB is available via the official interface. Licenses are perpetual with 24 months of updates.

Platforms

Desktop

Pricing

One-time

Quick highlights

  • Portfolio‑level backtesting with dynamic position sizing and bar‑by‑bar ranking/PositionScore.
  • Walk‑forward testing integrated with optimization; in/out‑of‑sample stats.
  • Monte Carlo simulation (custom metrics can drive optimization/WF objective).
  • Very fast multi‑threaded optimization with 3D optimization surface visualization.
  • Exploration/Scanner to build custom screeners and reports via AFL.

Community votes (overall)

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ETF Action logo

ETF Action

etfaction.com

Independent ETF analytics platform for advisors and asset managers. Offers global ETF classification, look‑through holdings analytics, overlap analysis, flows/volumes with T+1 flow timing, live quotes (FMV) via Polygon.io, model portfolio tools, 13F screening (Advisor Pro), and enterprise options including API access. DIY/Advisor Pro plans emphasize self‑service research and Excel/CSV downloads; Enterprise adds collaboration, custom dashboards, and API. A separate Model Builder plan enables model uploads and ‘Bridge’ trading integration. API details are not publicly documented—confirm endpoints and auth with vendor.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Global ETF ‘Channels’ taxonomy with category reports and dashboards (Size & Style US/Global, Region & Country, Sector & Industry, Thematic, Fixed Income, Non‑Traditional, Commodities, Crypto).
  • Look‑through analytics on fund holdings for factor/style, sector/industry, country, concentration; portfolio overlap analysis across funds or entire models.
  • Flows & trading dashboards (volumes/ADV); flows noted as T+1 timing in daily updates.
  • Live pricing on platform pages via Polygon.io FMV quotes (real‑time-ish indicative).
  • Screeners for ETFs; watchlists; data exports to Excel/CSV (DIY 50 rows, Advisor Pro 500 rows).

Community votes (overall)

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

3 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Backtesting, Data Visualizations, and Screeners.

Where they differ

AmiBroker

Distinct strengths include:

  • Portfolio‑level backtesting with dynamic position sizing and bar‑by‑bar ranking/PositionScore.
  • Walk‑forward testing integrated with optimization; in/out‑of‑sample stats.
  • Monte Carlo simulation (custom metrics can drive optimization/WF objective).
  • Very fast multi‑threaded optimization with 3D optimization surface visualization.

ETF Action

Distinct strengths include:

  • Global ETF ‘Channels’ taxonomy with category reports and dashboards (Size & Style US/Global, Region & Country, Sector & Industry, Thematic, Fixed Income, Non‑Traditional, Commodities, Crypto).
  • Look‑through analytics on fund holdings for factor/style, sector/industry, country, concentration; portfolio overlap analysis across funds or entire models.
  • Flows & trading dashboards (volumes/ADV); flows noted as T+1 timing in daily updates.
  • Live pricing on platform pages via Polygon.io FMV quotes (real‑time-ish indicative).

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeAmiBrokerETF Action
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Backtesting, Data Visualizations, Screeners

Unique: Quant, Monte Carlo, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Correlation, APIs & SDKs, Auto-Trading & Bots

Shared: Backtesting, Data Visualizations, Screeners

Unique: ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Valuation, ETF Factors, ETF Overlap, Portfolio, Watchlist, 13F, Data APIs, Alerts, Blogs, Videos

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Futures, Currencies

ETFs, Stocks

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Desktop

Web, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

One-time

Free, Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Portfolio‑level backtesting with dynamic position sizing and bar‑by‑bar ranking/PositionScore.
  • Walk‑forward testing integrated with optimization; in/out‑of‑sample stats.
  • Monte Carlo simulation (custom metrics can drive optimization/WF objective).
  • Very fast multi‑threaded optimization with 3D optimization surface visualization.
  • Exploration/Scanner to build custom screeners and reports via AFL.
  • Rich AFL scripting language for indicators, scans, backtests, and custom metrics; visual debugger.

Unique

  • Global ETF ‘Channels’ taxonomy with category reports and dashboards (Size & Style US/Global, Region & Country, Sector & Industry, Thematic, Fixed Income, Non‑Traditional, Commodities, Crypto).
  • Look‑through analytics on fund holdings for factor/style, sector/industry, country, concentration; portfolio overlap analysis across funds or entire models.
  • Flows & trading dashboards (volumes/ADV); flows noted as T+1 timing in daily updates.
  • Live pricing on platform pages via Polygon.io FMV quotes (real‑time-ish indicative).
  • Screeners for ETFs; watchlists; data exports to Excel/CSV (DIY 50 rows, Advisor Pro 500 rows).
  • Model portfolio creation & back‑testing; private model marketplaces for advisors/strategists.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Not yet

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do AmiBroker and ETF Action both support?

Both platforms cover Backtesting, Data Visualizations, and Screeners workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

ETF Action offers a free entry point, while AmiBroker requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access AmiBroker and ETF Action?

Both AmiBroker and ETF Action prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

AmiBroker differentiates itself with Portfolio‑level backtesting with dynamic position sizing and bar‑by‑bar ranking/PositionScore., Walk‑forward testing integrated with optimization; in/out‑of‑sample stats., and Monte Carlo simulation (custom metrics can drive optimization/WF objective)., whereas ETF Action stands out for Global ETF ‘Channels’ taxonomy with category reports and dashboards (Size & Style US/Global, Region & Country, Sector & Industry, Thematic, Fixed Income, Non‑Traditional, Commodities, Crypto)., Look‑through analytics on fund holdings for factor/style, sector/industry, country, concentration; portfolio overlap analysis across funds or entire models., and Flows & trading dashboards (volumes/ADV); flows noted as T+1 timing in daily updates..

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.